


Family

by I_want_to_hunt_the_Moon



Category: Feverwake - Victoria Lee, SPY x FAMILY (Manga)
Genre: Another fake marriage story I'm building a brand, Assassin Dara, Crossover, Dara and Noam having no idea about each others lives even tho they're fake married, Domestic Fluff, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Found Family, M/M, Spy Noam
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-12
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-17 07:15:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28721202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_want_to_hunt_the_Moon/pseuds/I_want_to_hunt_the_Moon
Summary: Your next mission is to infiltrate level IV to investigate Lehrer. To accomplish this your first step is to get married and have a child.What the fuck.He was not paid enough for this. Not by a long shot.
Relationships: Noam Álvaro/Dara Shirazi
Comments: 10
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Whoo!  
> I recommend the manga its very sweet but I don't think you'll have any trouble following this if you haven't read it.
> 
> Basic premise: a spy has to go undercover to infiltrate a school. To do this he has to adopt a child and marry someone who turns out to be an assassin. Neither of them know about the other's job they just think they married a regular person and are trying to co parent.
> 
> This is probably not going to be linear past the fist several chapters and will continue as little one shots.

The man rubbed at his eyes again but the words didn't change. 

**Your next mission is to infiltrate level IV to investigate Lehrer. To accomplish this your first step is to get married and have a child**.

_What the fuck._

He was _not_ paid enough for this. Not by a long shot.

This couldn't be right. They wouldn't expect him to actually marry someone and raise a child while still completing missions? 

The woman next to him on the train shot him a worried look. Fuck. He had lost his composure. In public. Today was not a good day. He quickly wiped the devastated horror off his face and gave her a friendly smile before pretending to read the newspaper, aimlessly flipping through pages while his mind ran around in circles screaming “SPOUSE AND CHILD!” over and over. 

_It makes sense,_ the part of his brain that was trained to keep functioning in every possible scenario said. _Calix Lehrer is paranoid and a genius. All attempts to infiltrate his government had failed. He won’t expect this._

**This is called operation Strix. You have seven days to enroll the child.**

The man promptly ripped the paper in two in anger. There had to be a joke.

* * *

Phone booths were tricky, constantly monitored but W.I.S.E had managed to get a few under control. The man punched in the code that would connect him to his superiors and smiled. Just in case anyone was watching. He was a husband telling his beloved wife he would be home soon or a student telling his mother about his day or a caring friend just wanting to wish someone a happy birthday. Whatever was needed.

“Problem?” 

“Yes, hi, it’s me. What do you mean with `get married and have a child in seven days’ exactly?”

Ames slurped at whatever she was drinking. “Was it unclear?”

“You're insane.”

“Yup.”

“No, actually insane. Have you been drinking again?”

He heard her glass clink against her desk. “Now, that’s not very nice,” she said after a loaded pause.  
“I apologize, ma'am. It was uncalled for.”

She huffed but let it go so the man assumed he was forgiven. “I know it’s difficult but we have no other options.”

“None? I don't believe you.”

“Because of our previous failed attempts at infiltrating the government security has tightened immensely and we’ve lost too many people to try again. There was one other way but it wasn't going to work?”

“Anything is better than this.”

Ames sighed and The man pictured her pinching her nose. “Listen, I’ve considered orchestrating something that would put you on Lehrer’s radar and he would enroll you in level IV as a pity case.”

“Sound plan. Let’s do it.”

Ames sighed louder. “No.”

“Why not?” The man snapped.

“You're very yappy today, agent. I would like to remind you that I’m your superior and my heels can crush your dick.”

“Right. I’m sorry.”

“First. There’s almost no chance Lehrer will notice you or that you’ll be let into level IV. Even if you were Lehrer might just never look at you again. Second. I don't think you could pass for a teenager. Third. Even if you could pass for a teenager I don't want to send you in because Lehrer has a type and won't take no for an answer. Sending you there would be subjecting you to sexual assault.” 

The man swallowed. “I’ve done worse things for missions. Besides, if I agree to do it it wont be non-consensual.”

“Oh god, please don't say that you sound like-” She cut herself off sharply. There was silence as she held the phone away from her face to collect herself. “Even so. The other points still stand.”

The man resisted the urge to shift his feet. “Operation Strix involves putting a child in danger.”

“They’ll be in a relatively low risk environment. They only need to succeed enough to get into the club, not assassinate anyone.”

“You just said Lehrer is a pedophile.”

“If you want to get into it he’s more of a hebephile or ephebophile than a pedophile and so your kid won't be at risk until they start puberty. I would get a little girl just to be safe. Is that all?”

The man ground his teeth together. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Good!” she said with fake cheer. “Get it done.”

“I want a-”

“You won’t get a goddamn raise, get off my dick!” The man winched at the dial tone coming from the phone.

Fuck.

* * *

The real estate agent was going on and on about the size of the rooms. The fact that there were two bathrooms and other things the man couldn't care less about. Truth be told he had only chosen to look at this apartment because it was named as a ‘family condo’ which sounded normal and family-ish. His eyes flitted through the room- _Three escape routes. Good._ \- as he searched the apartment under the guise of checking for dust- _No bugs. Perfect._ \- Nothing was excessive when you had his profession and there had been reports of the secret police installing bugs in the houses of anyone even slightly suspicious. Anyone who complained was detained under the guise of “If you have nothing to hide you have nothing to fear.” Which was just so typical. The man resisted rolling his eyes at his internal monologue and gifted the real estate agent a broad smile. “I’ll take it.”

“Ah- Of course, mister Álvaro. I’ll get the paperwork ready at once.”

“Thank you,” Noam Isaac Mendel Álvaro, son of immigrants, tech specialist, said smoothly. 

A house was secured now he would need a child. He’d considered seducing a person with a kid but had decided that with his restrictions and the possible family dynamic it would create it would be unwise. He would get a daughter first- enough orphans to choose from with the war- and seduce or bribe or whatever someone else later. God, he hoped he wasn't unlovable enough that he had to resort to kidnapping. That would leave a bad taste in his mouth. Maybe he wouldn't even need a spouse and would make do with a kid. He could hope.

* * *

He had chosen a run down orphanage, they would ask less questions, tended to have untidy records and had owners that probably wouldn't be missed if Noam had to silence them. The guy that opened the door barely even looked at him. “Want to foster?”

“I was hoping to adopt, actually.”

“Okay.”

“You see, my wife and I have-”

“Which one ya want?” the man asked between puffs of his cigar. 

Noam trailed his eyes over the skinny children with too wide eyes. “I was hoping for a girl. I would prefer one that can read and write.”

The man gave him a smirk and pointed his cigar at Noam. “I got just the one. Ahava!”

A young head adorned with curls turned to look at both of them. Ahava pushed herself off the ground, dusted off her threadbare dress and skipped over to them to look at Noam with wide dark eyes. She could pass as his biological child easily. But she couldn't be older than five and children needed to be at least six to enter level IV. Noam had only heard of one exception in the history of the school. “Ah. I don't mean to be difficult but-”

“My name is Ahava. I’m six years old.”

 _Huh?_ “You are?”

She nodded. “Yep!” She turned to look at the owner expectantly.

“Yes, of course, Ahava is six. She’s our smartest kid, very quiet but just a darling.”

A twinge of annoyance shot through Noam at the man describing her like she was a good dog breed but he pushed it down. “Hello Ahava. I’m Noam.”

Her eyes glinted knowingly. “Hello.”

Noam eyed her critically even as he made sure to keep his face friendly. He wasn't sure about her age. She was an orphan after all her records could be wrong. If she was six she was very short. As if sensing his doubt Ahava squared her shoulders and jutted her chin out stubbornly, rising to her toes to seem taller. _So she’s insightful_. She must be with all these children and no adult around who cares for her. Or maybe she sensed Noam’s aversion to her and she was instinctively making herself bigger as a defense. “What do you like to do, Ahava?”

“I like to think!”

Noam raised his eyebrows. “Oh? About what?”

“Oh, just about the rising tensions between our nations. I like to try and decipher how much of our news is real and how much is propaganda but it’s difficult to do so as I’ve only ever lived in Carolinia and therefore don't have an outside perspective.” She shrugged. “It’s still important to try.”

Noam opened his mouth. Closed it. Opened it again. If she was six years old and talked like this the mission would be easy. “I’ll take her. Where do I sign?”

The owner waved his hand. “No need for that, just go.”

The ease made Noam nervous but he wasn't going to question his luck. He turned back to Ahava and crouched down. “Are you alright with this?”

She beamed at him and nodded so vigorously her curls flew everywhere. He packed her meager belongings for her and took her home. She hugged a few kids, gave one her faded stuffed bear (“I can get a new one don't worry!”) and skipped after Noam out of the gates, backwards so she could continue to wave.

“Listen young lady-”

“Ahava.”

“Ahava. From now on I am your father. You're not adopted but have always lived with me.. Understood?”

“Yep!”

“You can call me father.” That sounded pompous and rich enough.

“Daddy!”

Noam gave her a sideways look and shrugged. “I’ll take it.”

“Oh. How adorable,” an old woman cooed. “Who might you be?”

“I’m Ahava. This is my dad. Who’s always been my dad.”

 _Fuck._ “We just moved in.” Noam said with a friendly smile as he hastily pushed Ahava further down the hall.

“New house?”

“Yes.” He put down her suitcase as she ran circles around the house, opening cupboards and peeping under the couch before fixating on the tv. “Do you want to watch something?”

She nodded again and he handed her the remote before settling down in a chair. She would need stuff. New clothes that fit in with the new cover, toys to keep her busy even though she seemed to enjoy the tv, food (what did she eat?). A loud bang startled him from his mental list. He should probably make sure that she watched age appropriate entertainment. “What are you watching?”

Her eyes were glued to the tv. “Spy wars.” She turned to him with a wide, almost smug, grin. “They're my favorite.”

Noam shrugged, he probably watched worse things at her age. “I’ve to leave for a little bit, just keep watching tv?”

Her eyes lit up. “A mission?”

“What? No. This isn’t your tv show. I’m just getting groceries.”

“I want to go too!”

“No.”

“Yes!” Noam was on the verge of just leaving when she talked again. “If you leave without me I’ll scream until social services come.”

Noam paused, hand on the doorknob. “They won't.”

She folded her arms over her chest. “Then leave.”

He glared at her but she just smiled back. Maybe he should have gotten a dumber child. Her smile widened. “Hurry up.”

“Yay, daddy!” Ahava screamed as she flew out the door. He took her to the center where she looked curiously at the people around them, pressing her nose against the shop windows and trying to pet every dog she saw.  
“Stay close!” 

She turned back to run circles around him. “Daddy and me. Going on an adventure. Daddy and me. Going out. Bam, bam, bam,” she sang.

“It’s daddy and I.” Maybe not that smart, Noam thought. He should have made sure that she was actually six years old, it wasn't too late to get a new kid-

“I know that! I was testing you!” she yelled loud enough that several people turned. Then she burst into tears. Noam had never noticed how many people reacted to the sound of a crying child. First they looked at her, then they turned their judgement on him and he did _not_ need this right now.   
“Hey, it’s okay. It’s okay, it’s no big deal.” She didn't stop crying so he lifted her carefully so she could sob into his shoulder as he rubbed circles on her back. “It’s okay.” He quickly walked to the edge of the sidewalk so they weren't holding up other people, giving them an awkward smile, they smiled knowingly or pained in return as Ahava slowly calmed down. “How about we get you new things for your room, huh?”

“Like posters?” she sniffled.

“Any poster you want.”

“Promise?” 

“I promise.”

“Okay.” She was still sniffling but seemed to have mostly calmed down. God, how was he supposed to do this for several months? She clung to him when he tried to put her down so he gave up and decided to carry her. His entire left side was useless and if he was attacked he would have to shield Ahava and fight the attacker off with only one hand. Not the most impossible feat but far from ideal. Ahava still seemed kinda uncomfortable. He would have to figure her out if he wanted to succeed. 

“What do you like to eat?”

“I like strawberries. I hate onions.”

“No onions. Got it.”

Great job, agent. You’ve got her all figured out now.

He got groceries and Ahava picked out a couple of stuffed animals and posters for her room after which she promptly fell asleep, Noam barely managed to catch her before she hit the ground. He decided to visit a bookstore. “Hi. Can I please have one of every book you have on parenting. 

He shuffled home- he must look like a fucking sight, child drooling on his shoulder, hat askew, arms full of books and food.

He slid her into bed, deciding that she would be fine wearing her dress a little longer (he was not going to wrestle pyjamas on a cranky six year old) and started reading. 

_Trust is the most important thing in a parent child relationship._

_Try to reward good behavior instead of punishing bad behavior._

_Raise your child to respect their autonomy and be confident. They are our future._

She might be the future but she wasn't his. After this mission was done she would go back to the orphanage. An orphanage. He wouldn't put her back in that place, she was troublesome but no child deserved to grow up in a place like that. She was sweet and full of mischief, anyone that wasn't Noam would be happy to have her.

He sighed and closed the book.

This was useless.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daddy who had left her all alone in their new home. 
> 
> A home that had bedrooms without locks. She smiled slowly. 

“I don't want to study!”

“You have to.”

“No. No, no, no, no!”

“I need to see exactly how smart you are.”

“I don't need to study! I’ll just- uh. Cheat!”

“Too risky.”

“I’m still not studying.” Noam stared down, he seemed to have found his match in stubbornness in the tiniest thing alive.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Alright, fine. I’ve an appointment. You,” he said, pointing a stern finger at her,” stay here.”

She hadn't listened, trying to run past his legs like an unruly cat while he made a desperate attempt to close the door with none of her fingers between it.

“So, you're late because of a fast six year old?” Taye asked unimpressed.

“Yes?”

Taye raised an eyebrow. “Who’s watching her?”

“...Ahava.”

“Right, okay, let’s hope she doesn't get taken away from you by cps. Anyway, here’s what you need.”

Noam swiped the envelope of the counter. “These are the answers?”

“Yep.”

“You sure?” Taye just glared in response. “Thanks, this couldn't have been easy-”

“It sure wasn't.”

“-but now it doesn't matter how smart she is, she’ll just memorize the answers and we’ll be fine.”

Taye frowned. “Shit, almost forgot.” He dug around behind his desk before handing Noam a stack of papers. “I did some digging. She’s been to three different orphanages and five foster families. One cancelled adoption too.”

“A problem child?”

“Unclear. No known parents, date of birth or place of birth. Nothing. Basically a blank slate. The only thing I could find is that she made people uncomfortable which is why they wanted her gone. No one bothered to write down what she did though.”

“Hm.”  _ Ahava Becker, Ahava Lorenz, Ahava Szabó, Ahava Keizer, Ahava Vogel. _

Taye grinned at him as he shoved candy into his mouth- had Noam ever seen him eat normal food? “Lots of names and unclear origins, she’s already taking after her daddy.”

Noam shot him a withering look as he straightened his hat. “Don't ever call me that again.” Taye held his hands up in mock surrender. “Alright, bossman. Just be careful. Don't die before you pay me.”

Noam shot him a too perfect smile. “I would never.”

* * *

Ahava swung her legs through the air.

This was boring.

The house was boring.

The boring men on tv were boring.

Daddy was boring.

You would think that being adopted by a spy would be exciting, well apparently not.

Just groceries and studying. She made a face at the ceiling, almost tasting the foulness of the word on her tongue.

If she had known this she wouldn't have read his mind and pierced together a nonsense sentence that would impress him. He was a spy! That meant guns and grappling hooks! Poison and betrayal! Beautiful women and cocktails! Wearing fancy clothes and saving everyone at the last second but always staying in the shadows. 

She groaned loudly. But daddy was normal.

He cooked and read books that were supposed to explain her.

Maybe, she thought, the cool spy stuff will come later! Yes! You couldn't start the movie with the climax of the film, you had to build towards it. She nodded sagely. Daddy was boring for now but that would change. Once operation Strix (Six? Styx?) got really going he would show himself to be as dashing as Ahava’s favorite hero, Bondman. Until then he would be plain daddy. 

Plain daddy who had left her all alone in their new home. 

A home that had bedrooms without locks. She smiled slowly. 

She shifted herself until her legs slid off the couch. She pushed herself upright, eagerly watching daddy’s bedroom door. She grinned excitedly.

This was going to be fun.

Daddy’s room was very neat. She fixed that quite thoroughly for him. Neat rooms were boring and dead. She was in the middle of tearing another suit jacket off its hanger, pulling as hard as she could, leaning first left, then right to try and make it fall when she accidentally kicked over a suitcase. Right. He had hidden this one. His other ‘gear’ was in the safe but he had kept the suitcase close. Ahava had spied him leaning over it with the headset on sending messages to his boss. He’d caught her, quickly shutting the briefcase and locking it. 

_ ‘Code 2691’ _

She grinned so wide it hurt. Mind reading was fun sometimes. Not that she could share it with anyone, no one was allowed to know. She wasn't going back to the hospital, she would rather die. 

It sprung open.

What had daddy done? The machine had beeped. She frowned and slowly pressed a button. Her face brightened when it made a beep. She pressed the button in the same way he had. It was fun. Then boring again. She sighed and closed the briefcase again before kicking at it lazily. How long had daddy been gone? 

Ahava heard sounds outside the door. She bit her lip and looked at the mess she’d made with dawning horror. She was going to be in big trouble. 

She frowned, slowly turning towards the door as she realized that the mind in front of the door wasn't familiar. Minds, she corrected herself. There is more than one. Her stomach twisted as the minds churned angry and violent.

One of them shot the lock and Ahava started screaming as they spilled into the room.

What did daddy always think? Oh right. Fuck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next chapter we meet Dara.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It wasn't that Dara wasn't grateful for his job. Evan had been nice enough to offer him one after Dara had finally run away from Lehrer. And it’s not that Dara wasn't paid fairly, in fact he was probably paid too much for someone who barely graduated highschool but Dara hadn't been allowed to work as a teenager and Lehrer had withdrawn the money Dara had saved from his bank account as soon as he suspected Dara might run away so Dara was left with nothing and Evan didn't get to him first. 

“What about you, Dara?”

“Hm?”

“Are you going to the party?”

“Oh. I’m not sure about that.” He laughed a bit self-deprecatingly. “I’m just so busy.”

“Oh come on.” Elizabeth leaned her hip against his desk and folded her arms over her chest. “You always say that. Don't seclude yourself. Teamwork, man.”

“She’s right. Attending office parties is a good way to strengthen bonds and keep morale high.” Dara jumped at the voice of his boss behind him. He meant well. Dara knew he meant well, he just wanted Dara to succeed and make friends but right now he was making Dara’s life very difficult. “I- well, I don’t have anyone to go with.”

“Great! We can go together.” A heavy hand landed on his shoulder making him see blood for a second.

“No.” Dara sounded murderous even to his own ears. Frank flinched back a little but didn't withdraw his hand.

He looked hurt. “Why not? Did I do something wrong?”

Everybody was looking at him and frowning. “I can’t.”

Evan looked disappointed in him. “Why not, Dara? You haven't even given it a shot.” 

Dara wanted to grab Franks stupid ugly haircut and drive a pen into his eye until he stopped moving before taking his boss into a headlock and whispering, “‘No’ is a complete sentence.” But he couldn't lose this job so he did the next best thing. “I’m talking to someone and I wanted to ask him.”

“Oh? A boy? Is it serious?” Dara could continue to lie or he could experience the briefest second of exhilaration as he kicked Elizabeth out of the window.

“I guess.”

Something mean glinted in her eyes. “Oh you HAVE to bring him.”

“Yes, I’m sure he’s a nice young man, I look forward to meeting him.” Evan gave him a mellow smile and Dara guessed that decided it.

Frank finally let go of his shoulder, sulking. Dara sighed deeply and resisted putting his head through his computer.

Fuck.

* * *

It wasn't that Dara wasn't grateful for his job. Evan had been nice enough to offer him one after Dara had finally run away from Lehrer. And it’s not that Dara wasn't paid fairly, in fact he was probably paid too much for someone who barely graduated highschool but Dara hadn't been allowed to work as a teenager and Lehrer had withdrawn the money Dara had saved from his bank account as soon as he suspected Dara might run away so Dara was left with nothing and Evan didn't get to him first. 

Dara didn't know who got to him first, just that they were called the shopkeeper and sometimes they would call with a job. Turns out that all that time with Lehrer wasn't wasted and Dara could use some of the skills he was taught. He didn't want to, he hated it but as the man that had gotten him the necessary equipment said, “You don't have to, but someone like you doesn't have a lot of options. There are other ways.” He shrugged and smirked slowly as his eyes traveled over Dara's body. “Pretty thing like you won’t have any problem finding clients.”

Dara had chosen the gun over falling to his knees and the rest was history.

Well, not history. It was his present, to be precise. He dodged the man charging him and scolded himself for getting distracted by his inner monologue.

He drove his knife down into the man's neck and watched him fall.

No point in getting stuck in the past. Dara had made his decisions. He had decided to kill the first man. Then he had decided to kill a second. Then a thirth. Then he got a normal job. Then he decided he wanted to fulfill his dream of getting a college degree. After three months the school withdrew his scholarships and demanded he pay them back, the reason being that he lied to them about his financial status, it was too good to apply for any scholarships, they said. No amount of reasoning or pleading changed their mind.

When Dara had hacked their records and found out that Lehrer was their main backer he had given up on arguing. Dara wasn't going to crawl back and he wasn't going to quit after he finally found something that made him want to get out of bed. So another job it was.

Then Evan offered him a job, a normal one. Dara knew it was a risk, that Evan might tell Lehrer but the shopkeepers people had recommended him getting a day job to explain the money and Dara’s first day job sucked and barely paid anything so he had accepted the offer after he cried for an hour about how he and Lehrer had a falling out so Evan wouldn't alert the man.

But that wasn't important right now. He had to get a boyfriend.

He didn't know where to start. Dara had enough men that were interested in fucking him, probably also enough that were interested in dating him but he would have to find a guy, make sure he was okay with this being a fake date, make sure he wouldn't use this against him to try and make it an actual date, make sure they knew each other well enough to pass for a couple.

Dara frowned as he wiped his knife clean on a tablecloth.

He needed more guy friends.

God, he wished Ames was still here.

He looked down at himself and sighed. One of these assholes had cut through his pants. God fucking damnit these were his good pants. He was going to wear these to the party! Dara couldn't really blame them, if someone tried to kill him he would ruin their clothes too. Besides, he was getting distracted so it was his own fault really. 

He was sure Lehrer had some scathing little catch phrase to comment on that.

He would go home, check if the money was transferred, agonize about finding a date, maybe call Bethany so she could make sympathetic noises over the phone, sleep and go to the tailor to get his clothes fixed tomorrow.

And then find a boyfriend.

Hurray.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dara tilted his head and stepped closer. “You think I’m beautiful?”
> 
> “Very.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They finally meet!

The other man (boy?) was beautiful. So beautiful that Noam noticed it beyond a small annotation at the edge of his mental profile. Observant, withdrawn and excruciatingly beautiful. If this was a simpler mission he might have approached him, spun a tale of being a tourist or visiting family in the city. Take him to dinner or take him dancing to just forget about life for a couple of hours. Maybe he would be lucky and get to find out if he looked as perfect with his back pressed against the sheets as he did here, bathed in the golden light of the sun, surrounded by a million shining pieces of floating dust particles. “Back again?”   
“I ripped it.”

“Running away from another mob of infatuated boys?”

“Haha.” The man rolled his eyes. “I fell over while trying to carry six take out bags.”

“If you say so, Dara.”

“I am saying so.” The man- Dara, apparently- said with a haughty look as he set a bag down. “When can you get it done?”

The tailor frowned and held the pants up to the light. “Hm. Normally I would say half a week but you're a regular and this seems like an easy fix so I’ll get it done before tomorrow.”   
“Oh, thank you so much. You're a godsend. I need it for a stupid party. You don't happen to have a single son or something that I can introduce as my boyfriend?” 

“No, hon. I’m sorry.”

“Damn”

Noam looked at him from the corner of his eye. Why did he look so familiar?

“Was that all mister Shirazi?”

Shirazi. Right. He was in the stack of potential spouses Taye had dredged up. 24 years old. Orphan. No known family. Worked as a civil servant. Nothing was suspicious, besides the fact that Taye hadn't managed to find exactly where he had ended up as a kid. Something he had blamed on the war making it impossible to keep records, Noam thought it unlikely until Taye reminded him that he had gotten Ahava after five minutes of conversation and no signing of papers.

“Staring is rude, you know.”

He noticed? Was he just observant or did Noam need more sleep? “I apologize, I was just thinking about how beautiful you are.”

Dara tilted his head and stepped closer. “You think I’m beautiful?”

“Very.”

Dara opened his mouth- 

“Daddy I’ve been measured!”

Both Noam and Dara startled, Dara moving away immediately, flushing. Ahava’s eyes caught onto him with something akin to awe and Noam was immediately suspicious. He glanced at the back of Dara’s shoulders. No interest in someone with a child apparently, shame. Probably for the best, he was very, very observant, it would have been risky.

Then Ahava started whining. “My life is so sad.”

“What?”

“All alone in the world. With only one parent.”

“Ahava what are you doing?” Noam asked, completely baffled at her illogical behavior. Why did anyone think he was fit to become a parent.

“Did you leave your partner at home?” 

“No, I had a wife but she died two years ago unfortunately. I’m raising her alone.”

Dara’s eyes lit up at his words. “Then, would you mind if I asked you something? Outside. I really need a favor.”

* * *

“Just one night?”

“Yes, just for the party. You never have to see any of them after that and I’ll say we broke up if they want to meet you again. I’ll repay you.”

“And this is just so your coworkers stop bothering you?”

“I know it sounds weird but there’s a guy that won't leave me alone1 so I lied about having a boyfriend and I don't want to seem crazy or get fired for creating a ‘toxic work environment’ because I keep rejecting him for no good reason.”

“That’s messed up.”

“I know, but I can't do anything else.”

Noam studied his flushed cheeks and the way he kicked at the cobblestones uncomfortably. He glanced down at Ahava who was studying Dara intently, she tilted her head back and gave him a pointed look. He raised a pointed eyebrow. She tried to raise a pointed eyebrow but didn't manage it so settled for giving him a pointed kick.

“Sure, I can pretend to be your boyfriend for a night.”

“Really?”

“I do need something in return, though.”

“Of course, what is it?”

_ Showtime _ . Noam made a determined face and clenched his fists. “These last few years have been so unstable, anything can happen.” He met Dara’s dark eyes. “It’s my duty as a father to prepare my daughter for the word as best as I can and the main way to do that is to give her the best education possible. It was my wife's dying wish.”

Dara’s eyes had softened at his little speech. “That’s admirable.”

“I need your help. Just once.” After Ahava got into level IV he would rope Dara into staying somehow. Small steps.

“What do you need me to do?”

_ Marry me _ . “I want her to get into a special school but we need to meet with the directors for that to happen. I want to stand out as little as possible and I don't want my single parent status to ruin her prospects,” he said mournfully. “So I need you to pretend to be my husband, for one day.”

“I’ll do so gladly.” Dara shot Ahava a warm smile. “Anything for a child.”

“I’ll see you saturday then.”

“It’s a date.”

“A fake one at least. I’ll see you then, lover.” Noam grabbed Ahava’s hand and started to lead her away.

“Bye, daddy!”

“Not yet, Ahava.”

“But soon?”

Noam smiled sharply. “Soon.”

* * *

Dara stared at the two figures until they disappeared around the corner. It’s just- She’s just confused, he told himself. It’s one night and then Noam and Ahava would be gone forever. Dara wouldn't even make a good parent, a hitman who was also a recovering alcoholic who may or may not have a powerful politician out for his blood was not father material. 

He wouldn't fit in their little family.

He would have to make the best of the one day he got and then it would be done, forever.

It shouldn't have to hurt like this.

**Author's Note:**

> I am the personification of that 'Blocking people isn't enough I want them to Die' rn. Shitty week. Good news: I'm making an adorable little bracelet out of porcelain. I had several designs and had to pretend to beg for attention from the teacher because the new Richer Than You kid in my class was looking at them and I didn't want him to steal them.  
> Also I like this art teacher more than my last art teacher bc she explains things to me and I kept getting into fights with the other one over surrealism because my designs weren't actual surrealism. Like, I know bitch but I'm better than Dalí ever was so who cares. I made a giant flaming space eye and he deducted points because there weren't any shadows and he didn't believe me when I said that was an artistic choice because there aren't any shadows in space which was a nod to the realism part of surrealism. Anyway.
> 
> What happened to the witch fic no one asked. Same thing that happened here. I started to write it, though about the back story, elaborated on the backstory, wrote the backstory, expanded the back story and now it's 8 pages already and Noam hasn't even been introduced yet. So.


End file.
